1. TopElectricians.com
2. Residential
   1. Home Automation
   2. Whole House Surge Protection
   3. Home Safety Inspection
   4. Residential Electric System Upgrades
3. Commercial
4. Emergency
5. Electrician Costs
6. Electrician Estimates
7. Electrician Services
8. Electrical Wiring
9. Inspection & Permit
10. Common Electrical Problems
11. Lighting
12. Energy Efficiency
13. Safety Systems
14. Electrical Panel
15. Electric Meter
16. Articles
17. Fun Section

Join one of our advertising packages and start earning today!

1. Advertise on our Free Listings section in your local area
2. Advertise on our top Premium listing section in your local area
3. Full online advertising solution

(888) 666-9085

Top Electricians » Residential » Home Safety Inspection

Home Safety Inspection

There is a very good argument for home safety inspections and that is; better safe than sorry. In most cases of electrical related fires, investigations have shown that the fires were caused by systems that have not been inspected for safety since they were built about 50-100 years ago. These circuits and wires have weathered time and have degenerated to the point where they are not stable. Therefore, timely inspections and replacements CAN and DO avoid damage and loss of property on a larger scale.

We also have to realize that old houses were not wired and built with even an inkling of an idea of how much power would be demanded of those same circuits today. So, undoubtedly these circuits and wires are going to overheat and cause fires when they cannot handle the load demanded of them.

Get electrician estimates on your home safety inspection project by submitting the form on your right.

Do You Need a Home Safety Inspection?

ESFI (Electric Safety Foundation International) recommends that you give some thought to these points which will lead you to realize whether or not your home is due for a home safety inspection or at least an electrician’s safety test. Ask yourself:

• Is your home over 40 years old?
• Have you done any major renovations or even added any new appliances to your home in the past 10 years? Remember, every new appliance demands its own amount of power.
• Are you the new owner of a previously owned house? If that is the case, when was the house inspected last?
• Do you feel that the lights in your house flicker or suddenly dim?
• Do the circuit breakers or fuses blow out often in your home? Does this happen when you have a lot of your appliances on?
• Are you power outlets and/or the faces of your switch plates discolored?
• Do you hear a slight crackling or a buzzing sound from your power outlets?
• Do you have a lot of extension cords in your home? As normal as this may seem to you, the excessive use of extension cords can cause issues to the power supply in your home and it is also a clear sign that you need to rewire and add more outlets to your home.

If you answer yes or even if you are unsure of one answer, then you need to have a qualified, licensed inspector, electrician or electrical contractor perform tests and inspect your home.

During a safety inspection electricians will check the following:

• A load test should be carried out to check whether the current distribution can supply the current demand.
• The quality of the exposed wiring needs to be checked.
• Voltage drops/surges at each power outlet must be checked.
• The panel box and connectors need to be checked.
• Each Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) must be tested.
• The type of wiring must be identified (aluminum or copper) and the size of the conductors must be checked. The wiring insulation must also be checked as the older insulation was cloth and this degenerates through time. All insulation must be thermoplastic.
• Appropriate surge suppression must be checked for. The functionality and the proper placement of smoke detectors and fire alarms must also be looked at and tested.

Have electricians bid on your home safety inspection project. Submit the form on your right to receive estimates by electricians in your area.